Mail-catcher.



B. F. NEEL.

MAIL CATCHEB.

APPLICATION FILED MAYIZ, 1917.

1,249,993., Patented Des. 11,1%?. A

2 SHEETS-SHEET l.

INVENTOE ATTORNE B. F. INEEL.

MAIL CATCHEB. Armenien mio uAYlz. |911.

2 SHEETS-SHEET INVENTOR WlTN ESSES ATTORNEY BENJAMIN F. NEEL, OF CULLMAN, ALABAMA.

MAIL-CATCHER.

Specification of Letters Patent. Patented D90, 11, 1917 Application filed May 12, 191,77. Serial No. 168,196.

T0 all whom t may concern.'

Be it known that I, BENJAMIN F. NEEL, a citizen of the United States, residing at Cullman, in the county of Cullman and State of Alabama, have invented certain new and useful improvements in Mail- Catchers, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates chiefly to mail bag catchers, and is chiefly concerned with such devices as are used to receive or catch mail bags and similar articles which are thrown from moving trains.

The `object of-the invention is the provision of a simply constructed receiver into which a mail bag may be thrown and e'ectively held, thereby preventing accidents which usually occur at stations by the mail bags, being thrown from the trains, hitting persons standing on the platform of the station and from breaking windows and the like.

The invention preferably consists of a supporting frame having a movablel platform supported thereby and, also, having pivoted jaws mounted thereon and connected with the movable platform so as to be actuated to catch and retain the mail bag, when it is thrown upon the platform, the platform and jaws being held in receiving position by automatic means.

With the above ends in view, the invention also consists in the novel construction, combination, and arrangement of parts fully described in the following specification and finally pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawings which illustrate the invention- Figure 1 is a side elevation of the invention with one of the sides of the supporting frame removed to illustrate the detail of construction,

Fig. 2 is a transverse sectional view of the invention as shown in Fig. 1,

Fig. 3 is a top plan view of the invention and showing it in open or receiving position, and

Fig. 4 is an under view of the invention as shown in Fig. 2.

Like characters denote similar and like parts throughout the specification and drawings.

lVith particular reference to the drawings,

the invention comprises a platform 1 sup-Y ported by the frame 2, preferably, rectangular in formation. The platform 1 is adapted to be raised and depressed to actuate clamping jaws 3 which are normally held in open or receiving position, as shown in dotted i lines of Fig. 2 and full lines of Fig. 3, and which, when closed, cooperate to form a suit able cage for retaining the mail bag or other article which is thrown or otherwise placed upon the platform 1.

In the present embodiment, the jaws 3 comprise two complemental and substantially semi-circular members a and I) pivotally connected at their lower side edges to the rods 1 extending longitudinally of the frame 2 and disposed at opposite sides of the platform 1. f

The platform has rotatably mounted on its undersurface, two spaced and substantially parallel rods 5 having their ends bent substantially at right anglesy from the body of the rods to provide lever arms 6 connected with lever arms or extensions 7 rigidly car ried by each of the jaws 3 adjacent its ends. The lengths of the lever arms 6 and 7 are such that, when the platform is in its lowered position resting on the transverse bars 8, the semi-circular members a and will be held in their closed position, to substantially form a cage, as shown in full lines of Fig. 2, and, which will open the members a and '6, when the platform is raised, as shown in dotted lines of Fig. 2. The opening movement of the two members a and is limited by the sides of the frame 2. The platform is to be normally held in its raised position which will, consequently, hold the members a and Z) open, and in the present instances a lever 9 is pivoted intermediate its ends to one of the cross bars 8 and has one end pivotally connected to the undersurface of the platform 1, as at 9a, while the other end carries thereon a suitable weight 10. Obviously the weight will hold the platform in raised position when no articles are placed upon it.

The catcher in accordance with the invention is adapted to be placed in the vicinity of railroad stations and to assume a position as shown in Figs. 1 and 2 of the draw* ings so as to readily receive on the platform 1 a mail bag, or other article, that is thrown from a moving train. The platform 1 will immediately descend from its normal raised position under the weight of the article and simultaneously close the jaws a and which form the retaining cage.

The rear wall indicated by 11 is provided for the cage and is rigidly iiXed to the frame at one end of the jaws 3. The other end of the frame is unobstructed to lie adjacent the road bed. The jaws 3 and lower wall l() may be made of any suitable material such as strips of steel or by having wire so twisted as illustrated in the drawing. lt will also be noted that the jaws 3 when in open po sition will allow an article to fall directly upon the platform.

From the above it will be clearly seen that novel means is provided for receiving and retaining the articles thrown from a moving train se that the various accidents and injuries which are now experienced by the throwing of such articles from the train may be overcome.

The above clearly describes my invention, iiowever, it is to be understood that certain changes in the construction, combination and arrangement of the parts may be resorted to that fall within the legitimate scope of the appended claims.

That is claimed is:

l. A receiving and retaining device of the kind described, comprising a frame, supporting bars on the frame, a platform disposed in the -frame and normally lying upon said bars, a pair of complemental aws pivotally mounted on the frame and adapted to form a cage when in closed position, one of said jaws being arranged on each side of the platform and having a vertical swinging movement, arms projecting from each of the said jaws, pivoted lever arms mounted on the undersurface of the platform and having pivotal connection with the arms of said jaws whereby the jaws are held in closed position when the platform is in lowered position, a lever pivoted intermediate its ends and having one end connected to the platform, a weight carried at the other end of the lever for exerting an upward pressure on the platform to raise it to an elevated position, whereby the jaws are opened, said platform being lowered and the jaws closed when the articles are received upon the former.

2. A receiving and retaining device of the kind described, comprising a frame, supporting bars on the frame, a platform disposed in the frame and normally lying upon said bars, a pair of complemental jaws pivotally mounted on the frame and adapted to form a cage when in closed position and having a vertical swinging movement, arms projecting from each of the said aws, pivoted arms mounted on the undersurface ot the platform and having pivotal connection with the arms of said jaws whereby the jaws are held in closed position when the platform is in a lowered position, a lever pivoted intermediate its ends and having one end of the lever for exerting an upward pressure on the platform to raise it to an elevated position, whereby the jaws close when articles are received upon the former, `and a station-I ary wall rigid on the frame and arranged adjacent one of the ends of said. jaws to form the rear wall of the cage formed by the jaws.

ln testimony whereof l affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

v BENJAMN F. NEEL.

Vitnesses C. W. CALVERT, D. T. CALVERT.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for ive cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Eaten. Washington, D. C. 

